Straits Times takes first steps to interactive newspaper

Animated ads that feature call-to-action buttons have been integrated into the digital replica editions of Singapore Press Holding’s The Straits Times – a precursor to a fully interactive newspaper. The patented interactive newspaper technology will soon allow news stories and pictures to become interactive across the digital replica edition, SPH announced this week. When subscribers...

Animated ads that feature call-to-action buttons have been integrated into the digital replica editions of Singapore Press Holding’s The Straits Times – a precursor to a fully interactive newspaper.

The patented interactive newspaper technology will soon allow news stories and pictures to become interactive across the digital replica edition, SPH announced this week.

When subscribers access the digital replica edition of The Straits Times on mobile or tablet, selected advertisements now animate and when touched, allow readers to contact the vendor directly, share the ad over social media channels or save the advertisement into the photo album.

Advertisers will only need to make simple adjustments to their material to take advantage of the patented interactive newspaper technology.

Readers can also search for other similar ads that appear in the day’s paper.

Elsie Chua, executive vice president and head of the marketing division at SPH, said the new functions allowed advertisers to reach out to a wider target group more effectively.

“And for the readers, the user-friendly functions definitely provide an efficient platform for them to connect to the vendors or suppliers,” she said.

“We will be rolling out more features in the coming months and look forward to further enhancing the user experience.”

An example of The Strait Times’ interactive ads.An example of The Strait Times’ interactive ads.

The features are also being trialed at SPH’s free bilingual paper, My Paper. They have been used on SPH’s free classified mobile app since last year. The features were used by thousands each month to call and message advertisers directly from their device.

“Newspapers are no longer static,” head of integrated sales and print classified Tan Ooi Boon said.

“When viewed on smart devices, they move, like how they do in the Harry Potter movies.

“Such features will greatly attract our readers and when they get excited, they will surely respond and get in touch with the advertisers. We look forward to working closely with all our advertisers so that their newspaper ads become even more effective and impactful in connecting with their customers.”